Getting from Giving

Episode Two

Safaraz Ali is in conversation with Paul Cadman, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Birmingham City University, on the topic of ‘Giving Back and the importance of ‘Corporate Social Responsibility.’

Paul is recognised for his charitable fund raising for many good causes including St Basil’s that works with homeless young people and ‘Acorns’ that runs children’s hospices across the West Midlands, supporting children with life limiting illnesses and their families, to name but two.

Safaraz believes it is vital for businesses to give back to local communities and talks about how he and his companies do this.

Giving back is something that businesses have being doing for decades with companies like Cadbury, a classic example in Birmingham

For this conversation about the importance of ‘Corporate Social responsibility’ Saf is joined by Paul Cadman. Paul is known for his fund raising for many good causes including St Basil’s that works with homeless young people and ‘Acorns’ that runs children’s hospices across the West Midlands, supporting children with life limiting illnesses and their families, to name but two.

He is also Professor of Entrepreneurship at Birmingham City University and does a lot of work to bring charity and business together. He makes the point that a successful relationship between a charity and a business will always be a ‘two-way street’ with both sides gaining.

Paul and Saf talk about the huge problem in deciding which of the many good causes to support. They consider some of the criteria that businesses should look at when deciding which good causes to help.

Both men also challenge the view that charities can at times let Government ‘off the hook’ by providing support that it can be argued is the responsibility of the state.

Saf and Paul share their own experiences of how supporting charities can provide valuable exposure for business and also give staff an opportunity to gain experience.

With Paul and Saf both coming from humble beginnings in the less well-off parts of Birmingham, they share a view of the importance of people who can, giving something back. They talk about the value of supporting good causes at grass roots as well as international charities and make the point that giving does not always have to be about just money but can include knowledge, time and effort. The message is that everyone can give something and in giving they will receive more than they might expect.